Shrimp with cycle helmet

This Periclimenes tosaensis shrimp is carrying what looks like a yellow cycle helmet on it's back. I assume it's some kind of parasite.

Yeah, I'd guess it was the egg mass of a parasite.

Alex

Interesting. That's something I haven't seen before & don't have a clue as to who or what. I'll have to consult with the Shrimp Squad.

I am getting so forgetful you might as well just shoot me & get it over with. Art replied that it was probably a parasitic dajid isopod so I searched around and found this - http://sg.homeunix.com/jovin/Gorontalo-Nov...nemone_shrimp_6 It's the same species of isopod & shrimp. If you click for an enlargement you can actually see the legs of the dajid. The someone from scubaboard who identified it has the initials LH and works for a museum in Los Angeles..... DOH!

Thanks Leslie. We won't shoot you just yet, you're far to useful. Instead we will blame the lapse of memory on that other LH that alleges to work at NHMLA. ;-)